Spring Cleaning Tips

Spring has sprung! Daffodils and crocuses vie with weeds for real estate. Groupons for auto detailing, power washing and housecleaning arrive daily. And those Christmas socks from Aunt Edith? They really don’t work as coasters anymore.

But where do you start? For de-cluttering, you can try the full purge. Empty out an entire space–be it a closet, cupboard or garage–and then put everything you want to keep back in its rightful place. Stacking your belongings in the driveway will motivate you to finish the job before someone walks off with those valuable LPs and pink flamingoes. Of course, you’ll need plenty of tarp to protect your stuff from the weather.

The daily detox approach, on the other hand, requires short, continual bursts of energy. Set a timer for, say, half an hour, and then sort all items in an area into three bins: keep, give and toss. When the timer goes off, empty your bins. Find a home for all kept items and take gift items to your car for delivery.

When you’re moving boxes and organizing, remember to keep stairs and landings clear of clutter. Carry only loads that you can see over, while keeping one hand free to grasp railings and banisters.

If it’s time to dump that old couch or freezer, get some help with the heavy lifting. Like those WorkSafeBC ads say, keep your back straight and lift from your legs. Wearing shoes will protect your toes.

Then comes the annual scrub-down. Before you start climbing, ripping, mopping and hosing, remind yourself:

Don’t rush. Accidents happen when we’re tired or in a hurry. Take a break, eat and rehydrate.

Ladders tip. Don’t let your belly button stretch beyond either side of the ladder. Position the ladder one foot out for every four feet up, and ask someone to keep it steady while you work. Never “jump” ladders–they’re not stilts.

Beware of wet surfaces. Wear non-skid shoes when stepping on wet ladders or floors. Keep young children away from slippery surfaces. Don’t leave buckets of water lying around. They may spill onto the floor, or even drown toddlers.

Power washers can puncture skin. Sometimes fatally. Never aim the nozzle at any person. Better yet, a low-pressure sprayer and quality exterior cleaning product will do less damage to your siding, deck, driveway and other outside surfaces.

Wear protective gear--rubber gloves, eye protection, etc., as needed.

Handle cleansers properly. Read product labels and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and safety precautions. Store all cleaning products safely out of the reach of children and never use food containers for chemical products.

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